The present invention includes a pin, scoring methods, lane courtesy rules and lane conditioning for use in a bowling game and in particular, for use with the duckpin bowling game. The current duckpin bowling game is a very excellent game for recreational purposes, but as a sport it is far too challenging for general bowling public acceptance. The other bowling games are also deficient in their sport worthiness. For a bowling game to be considered a sport, it must be challenging but it also must be considered a fair game by the bowling public. The bowling game that needs the least re-design is the current ten pin duckpin bowling game.
The main deficiency of the current duckpin is the contribution it makes in the inability of a bowler to get an appropriate number of strikes, especially clean strikes. This is true even when the skill level of the player is very high. Which is to say that the bowlers can not bring their skill to bear on the game.
Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a strike occurs when the ball (10) makes contact with the pins in one of the two strike pockets (between the 1 and 2 pins or between the 1 and 3 pins as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2). The ball (10) enters the pocket area at a moderate angle and is rolling well (not sliding). If these conditions are met, the usual result should be a strike. When the ball makes contact with the pins in the pocket and all the pins and the ball go into the pit without assistance from the side boards or any other physical surrounding, a clean strike results.
With a clean strike, four separate actions take place. They take place in such rapid succession that they appear to take place simultaneously. For better appreciation of proper ball deflection and pin action and reaction, the four sequences are described below with reference to a right side pocket hit shown in FIG. 1.
1. The ball makes contact with the 1 pin and drives it back so that the 1 brings down the 2, the 2 in turn brings down the 4 and the 4 pin brings down the 7. PA0 2. The 1 pin will deflect the ball onto the 3 pin, the 3 pin will be driven back so that it brings down the 6 pin and the 6 pin will bring down the 10 pin. PA0 3. The 3 pin will deflect the ball onto the 5 pin, the 5 pin will bring down the 8 pin. PA0 4. The 5 pin will deflect the ball onto the 9 pin to finish the ball and pin actions for a clean strike.
The ball and pins all go into the pit without the aid of the sideboards, channel tracks or any other physical surrounding.
A left side pocket hit, shown in FIG. 2, also has four separate action sequences similar to those described above with reference to the right side pocket hit. In the left side pocket hit, the ball makes contact with the 1, 2, 5 and 8 pins. With the current duckpins, even though the bowler makes a good pocket delivery a strike is the unusual result rather than the usual result, primarily because of the flying pin action described herein. An objective of the present invention is to make strikes the usual result when the bowler makes an appropriate delivery. The current duckpin (12) is shown in FIG. 3 and is described in detail below. Due to the pin's tapered shape at the area of contact with the ball, and other factors, there is a great tendency for the ball to lift the pin up and away, instead of straight back, thereby creating a "flying pin."
The pin that is contacted by the ball is lifted up and back. When it makes contact with the next standing pin, it makes contact above the widest point of the standing pin and below the widest point of the flying pin. This means that contact between the pins is made at a point where the width of both pins is reduced and so, the margin for error is reduced. This results in very erratic pin fall and reduces the margin for error from very low to practically non existing.
Even though the ball contact with the pin only lifts the pin an inch or so, at times it seems that the current duckpins are lifted several feet, but that is due to the assist the flying pin receives from the contact with the next standing pin. The tapered shape of both pins serves to propel the flying pin to a greater height. Flying pins that are driven to the side boards can also be propelled to a greater height and in the process missing any standing pins that they might otherwise knockdown (poor pin action).
Other factors contribute to the flying pin problem such as weight distribution of the pin and small diameter of the tip at the base of the pin. These other factors however have a positive side. The help the pin fall over with very light contact from other pins (or the ball). Because of the positive side in the other factors only minor changes are planned for them.
The low margin for error starts with the flying action of the pins and is reduced further by the small width of the pin. The problem manifests itself most with a full set of 10 pins when the bowler's goal is to get a strike. It also manifests itself when there are less than 10 pins standing when a bowler's goal is to get a spare. The negative impact of the flying pin is reduced and disappears with only 1 pin standing. The low margin for error due to the small diameter of the pin is always there even with just 1 pin standing. The need to increase the margin for error so that there is a substantial increase in scores is crucial to higher acceptance of the duckpin game by the bowling public.
Another drawback of the current duckpin bowling game is the scoring method. The current duckpin scoring system allows up to 3 balls per frame (box) to knock down all ten pins. A game consists of 10 frames. There are a maximum of 30 balls per game. Perfect score is 300. Downing all the pins with the first ball is a strike. A strike is worth 10 plus all pins knocked down with the next 2 balls. The maximum score for a strike frame is 30. Maximum score for all strikes in one game (12 strikes) is 300.
Downing all the pins with the first 2 balls is a spare. A spare is worth 10 plus all the pins knocked down with the next ball. The maximum score for a spare frame is 20. The maximum score for all spares in one game (10 spares) is 190. Downing all the pins with 3 balls produces a maximum count of 10. The maximum score for a game without a strike or spare is 100.
The current duckpin scoring method is not commensurate with the level of difficulty of the game. The scores are too low for general bowling public acceptance. From the business standpoint (and the bowler's standpoint) the game takes too long. The maximum number of balls per game is 30. In addition, the symbols and scoring forms used for scoring are not standardized.
Yet another drawback to the current duckpin bowling game is the lane conditioning. In the current duckpin bowling game, the use of oil on the lane is not a widespread misconception but when it is used it is detrimental to good scoring, fairness of the game and bowling as a desirable activity for the general public. Use of oil on a bowling lane while the bowlers are playing the game is unfair to the bowlers and to the bowling center. The presence of oil will exaggerate any error the bowler makes on his/her delivery. The oil also gets on the ball and then on the bowler's hand which can make the ball slip from his/her hand as he/she makes his/her delivery. In addition, the oil on the ball will redeposit on another part of the lane resulting in "spotty conditions."
The oil goes from the ball to the pins and on to the pin setting machinery which contribute to machine malfunction. Oil is not only a detriment to fair scoring anytime, but if left on the lane long enough makes fair scoring impossible. The oil will attract dirt, dust, grease and grime which will make a delivered ball slow down, slip and slide, speed up, slow down, change direction and in the process take away the ball's roll which is crucial to knocking the pins down.
Generally, it can be said that oil on the plate (pin deck) has a positive effect on scoring as it helps the pins slide back rather then flying up. But its help is inconsistent due to the nature of oil. Even under the most meticulous use (where the plates are cleaned before application of new oil, where the same amount is applied evenly on every plate and applied at the same time), in a short time the oil will evaporate, be picked up by the ball or be picked up by the pins and thereby contributing to all the problems mentioned for using oil on the lane.